Pin-catch



J. FIELDING.

PIN CATCH.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I0, I919.

Patented June 28, 1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

PIN-CATCH.

Application filed April 10,

- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN FTnLnINe, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence, Stateof Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in PinCatches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in catches or keepers for the pins of brooches and like articles of jewelry. The object of my improvement is to provide a pin-keeper or catch with which the pin-stem may be more easily and conveniently engaged in fastening the brooch or other article in place on the garment. To this end my improvement consists particularly in providing a rockable guard or guide which receives the end of the pin-stem as it is sprung down toward the back of the brooch to assist in directing it into place in the hooked catch or keeper.

The manner and means for carrying out the improvement are fully described in the following specification, and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate like parts. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a brooch or bar-pin, showing my improved catch or keeper applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged end view of the catch showing the pin-stem in engagement therewith; s

Fig. 3 is a side view of the same;

Fig. A is an end view of the keeper showing the manner in which the end of the pinstem engages the guard which guides 1t lnto the keeper;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blank from which the keeper is formed; and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the blank from which the guard-member is constructed.

Referring first to Fig. 1, B designates the body of the brooch orbar-pin to the back of which is fastened the pinjoint J forming the hinge for the pin-stem P. At the opposite end of the body B is the catch or keeper G into which the end of the pin-stem P is sprung after it has been pierced through the garment or other apparel. My 1m rovement relates particularly to the catch and consists essentially in providing a bifurcated guard-member G pivoted to the catch to adapt it to be swung into open position to receive the end of the pin-stem P to direct it into the hook of the catch. The improvement also contemplates a novel method of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 28, 1921. 1919. Serial No. seams.

forming the catch-member G and hinging the guard G thereon without the use of pins, rivets or other separate pivoting-means.

The catch C is preferably constructed as a punching, stamped from flat stock and bent up into the required form by means of suit able dies. Fig. 5 shows the shape of the blank A from which the catch is constructed, it being provided with a central tab 2 having hook-like extensions or wings 33 on its sides terminating in a relatively long, hottomedge A. At the center of its edge 4 the blank A is cut away with a slot 5 and above it is a square aperture 6 forming a relatively narrow bar or cross-tie 7 connecting the two opposite wings 33. In forming up the catch Cthe central tab 2 of the blank A is curled or bent to form the hook of the keeper which receives the pin-stem P, see Figs. 1 and 2. The two wings 3-3 are then bent around on the median line X-X of the blank A to fold them into opposite, parallel relation, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. As illustrated more clearly in Figs. 1 and 3, the two wings or sides 3-3 of the blank are not brought into contact, a slight gap being left between their inner faces to allow for the insertion of the guide-member G therebetween. The bottom edges of the two spaced wings 3-3 of the catch C form a relatively broad base whereby the member may be securely soldered to the back of the broochbody B; while their curved upper edges 88 form a rest or seat for the pin-stem to assist in guiding it into the hook 2.

Referring now to Fig. 6, the guideor guard-member G is also constructed as a stamping, the blank D consisting of a flat plate of substantially ovate contour which is cut away or bifurcated at the top to form two opposite arms 9 and 10. Projecting from the lower side of the blank D is a relatively narrow, tail-like strip or tab- 11 which forms the connectingmeans for pivoting the guard G to the. catch 0. When the member G is placed in position between the sides plate B to limit its movement in this direction as shown in ig. 4. As the guard G is swung back in the opposite direction its rearward edge 14 will strike against the upright wall 15 of the catch C to limit its throw, and at this point the rounded end of -its outer arm 10 will come into contact with the lower edge of the hook-portion 2 of the keeper C to close the opening thereof. To prevent the guard G from moving too freelv on its hinge the wings 3-3 of the catch 0 are sprung together to cause a slight frictional resistance against its sides, and in this way the guard is made to serve as a sort end of the arm 10 on the guard G, and further pressure will tend to swing it into place beneath the hook 2. That is'to say, as the pin-stem P is forced downwardly past the top of the catch C its end is engaged by the arm 10 of the member G which serves as an extended guard or rest to prevent the pin from sliding past the hookopen'ing in the catch. After the pin P meets the inclined edge of the guard-arm 10 the continued pressure of the finger causes it to slide down onto the curved edge 8 of the catch C and'to be carried in under the hook 2. This action also has a tendency to rock the guard G rearwardly on its pivot, and as the pin P is released to allow it to spring upwardly into the hook 2 it will ride along the straight edge of the arm 9 to rock the latter back against the rear wall 15 of the catch 0, as shown in Fig. 2. Through this action the outer arm. 10 of the guard G is brought into engagement with the lower edge of the hook 2, in which position it remains while the pin is clasped in the catch. The guard G thus closes the opening of the catch C and, since its swinging movement is resisted to a .slight extent by the pressure of the wings 33 of the catch against its sides, it will have a tendency to prevent the pin from becoming accidentally unfastened. hen it is desired to unclasp the pin, however, only a slight pressure is required to rock the guard G outwardly on its pivot by forcing the pin P laterally against the side of its arm 10. After the pin-stem P has been released in this manner the guard G remains in open relation on the catch C to adapt it to again receive the pin P to guide it into place in the hook 2 again.

It will be seen that my improvement provides an extremely simple and efficient device for catching the end of the pin-stem and guiding it into the keeper, whereby to render the ,cl-asping of the pin more easy and con venient, while also tending to prevent unwarranted release of the pin from the catch. The complete device comprises only two simple elements which may be easily and economically constructed in dies, no pins or other separate pivots being employed in the structure, and no. riveting or soldering being required; I I I I claim and wish to secure by Letters Patent of the United States:

1. In a catch for pins or brooches, the combination with a keeper-member formed with a hookat the top and having opposite, lower, parallel sides connected by an integral cross-bar, of a bifurcated guard-member arranged between the sides of the keeper and formed with a tail-like extension encircling the cross-bar to provide a pivot-joint between the guard and keeper, the upper portion of the guard being adapted to swing out from the side of the hook to receive the pin-stem and toswing inwardly to close the hook.

2. In a catch for pins or brooches, the combination with a keeper-member constructed from a flat blank having a central tab forming a hook at the top and'provided with wing-like extensions folded together to form opposite parallel sides at the base, the foldjof the blank being apertured to provide an integral cross-bar connecting the opposite sides of the base, of a bifurcated guardmember formed of flat stock to adapt it to be inserted between the sides of the keeper and provided with a tail-like extension encircling the cross-bar to pivotally connect the guard with the keeper to adapt it to rock into open relation therewith.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOHN FIELDING. 

